Question -- ceiling of bedroom

[dr.girlfriend]

Hi guys;

I think I posted some stuff about this before...we are doing a master bedroom / bathroom / laundry addition on our house.  I wanted the ceiling to look like this:



The addition mimics the style of our house, which is a two-level Cape Cod, but instead of being two levels it'll be open to the ceiling and there will be a loft along the back wall.

For reasons I can't quite figure out, the architect keeps pushing toward a flat ceiling, even though this was one of the first things I said I really wanted.  I am trying to get a straight answer from her as to why the peaked ceiling would be a problem, and I don't think she's being really clear.  I do realize the peak isn't symmetrical, because of the shed dormer in back -- the back roof has a gentler slope than the front roof with the two dormers.  Today she sent visualizations of (I think) both options ...she actually sent 4 pictures, but I think #1 and #3 show the peaked roof from different angles and #2 and #4 show the flat roof.  So, which do you think looks better?



The front of the house would be behind the bed's headboard (there are two windows on either side of the bed and two dormers above them on the wall behind the bed), and the french doors look out to the side yard -- the bedroom is the structure to the right of the low middle section:

[cosmowife]

I would guess that the flat roof would be easier for running wires, pipes, etc above and also easier to heat. Can you insulate above the pitched ceiling? We don’t have an attic and it was a total pain to run wiring though the house. It was also very difficult to insulate because it had to be done between each ceiling joist. I think they both look nice and the ceiling is very high in both examples.

[aprilsails]

My parent’s bedroom had an uneven peaked ceiling and I never thought it looked weird. Granted, their room also had a 5’tx8’w opening overlooking the dining room so it can’t be said that my frame of reference for house design is standard.

I prefer the peaked look myself. The angles on the flat ceiling don’t look right because it is raised up so high to accommodate the loft. Attic space is good from an insulation perspective, and the peaked ceiling will cost more, but it adds a lot aesthetically.

[atarianna]

I prefer #2. Have you had cathedral ceilings before? I had a two story family room in one of many houses and will never ever consider a house with one again. It’s impossible to heat in cold winters and it was a deal breaker for me.

[dr.girlfriend]

Jan 24, 2019 22:32:49 GMT -5 atarianna said:

I prefer #2. Have you had cathedral ceilings before? I had a two story family room in one of many houses and will never ever consider a house with one again. It’s impossible to heat in cold winters and it was a deal breaker for me.

Even the flat ceiling would be 14 feet tall, though, so I'm wondering how much difference the peak would make (it would be another 5 feet).  From what I understood talking to contractors the ceiling is a "dummy" either way -- so, even with the peaked ceiling there's still a lot of space between it and the real roof for insulation, wiring, etc.

[dr.girlfriend]

Jan 24, 2019 22:14:28 GMT -5 cosmowife said:

I would guess that the flat roof would be easier for running wires, pipes, etc above and also easier to heat. Can you insulate above the pitched ceiling? We don’t have an attic and it was a total pain to run wiring though the house. It was also very difficult to insulate because it had to be done between each ceiling joist. I think they both look nice and the ceiling is very high in both examples.

There will definitely be insulation -- here's from an earlier email, in response to me asking for more details when she said we couldn't have recessed lights if the ceiling was peaked:

Let me explain further about insulation and recessed lights-- I misspoke when saying "you can't." We just need different details that may be more involved to build.
PA just adopted a new edition of the building code (2015 IRC) that increased the required roof R value from 38 to 49, so everyone is adjusting to thicker insulation & thicker structures required...
Let me also add that many homes have improperly installed recessed lights in sloping ceilings where there was no regard for the thermal envelope.

The insulating and air barrier envelope is very important for the comfort of a home. The inner drywall surface is a part of that roof envelope assembly.
When you penetrate this assembly, it compromises the air barrier and thermal envelope of the house. So it is a detail that has to be looked at very carefully.

I was designing for a horizontal ceiling across the loft area and extending partly into the bedroom area. This has a few important functions. It acts as a structural tie for the roof rafters & simplifies the framing details; it keeps the ceiling height at about 15' so that thermal comfort is easier to control (vs. almost 20' to the peak)
Are you wanting the ceiling to be completely sloped all the way to the peak?? I know you sent pictures to this effect, but I don't recall coming to a final decision.

I do understand her points, at least about temperature control, but I'm not sure that 4 feet is worth hiding a very pretty architectural feature under a bushel, KWIM?  I'm not sure about the structural tie / simplified framing part -- the contractors I've spoken for didn't seem to think one ceiling versus the other would be a big difference.

[mrsukyankee]

If you want a peaked ceiling then number 1 would be my favourite.

[aprilsails]

It might not be your favourite choice aesthetically, but if your ceilings are going to be 14-19’ high I strongly recommend the installation of a ceiling fan to prevent air stratification. My house growing up was all cathedral ceilings (25’ in the living and dining room) and we had ceiling fans throughout to make heating and cooling easier. They ran on low speed 24hrs a day.

[penguingrrl]

I think the flat ceiling looks off, the leaked ceiling is really pretty.

[Deleted]

I prefer #1 of the options. I would love to have a peaked ceiling, but that just isn't the style of my house, so flat ceilings it is.

[Ramz-ee]

I love #1. And honestly, if that's what you want, just do it.

[namasteak]

I like #1

[jamaicam]

My previous house had peaked ceilings and I loved them. However, we live in the tropics and I felt they helped keep the house nice and cool so I'm no use in relation to whether they'll impact the heating!

[k3am]

The peak of the ceiling being asymetrical would drive me nuts if I were designing a house. If I moved into a house that has those lines, they might annoy me at first, but I'd probably get over it.

It doesn't bother you, so I don't see why you'd settle for less without a good reason. Get her to explain her logic behind the alternate design choice. There may be a reason she's leaning that way, but she should be able to clearly explain it to you.

[dr.girlfriend]

Jan 25, 2019 6:40:04 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

It might not be your favourite choice aesthetically, but if your ceilings are going to be 14-19’ high I strongly recommend the installation of a ceiling fan to prevent air stratification. My house growing up was all cathedral ceilings (25’ in the living and dining room) and we had ceiling fans throughout to make heating and cooling easier. They ran on low speed 24hrs a day.

We are definitely planning on a ceiling fan.  I like this one: